Campania Salami #2 (Orange Zest, Fennel, Calabrian Pepper, Garlic)

[indaswamp]

My first attempt at this salami was a failure.
https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/campania-salami-orange-zest-fennel-garlic.306608/

The pH dropped to 4.56 and was too sour and not enjoyable. No flavor development. I have become better at the art of crafting salami recipes and have tweaked this recipe. The only real change was omitting all sugars. There is no added dextrose nor sucrose in the recipe; all the sugars for fermentation come from the ingredients. I also switched to fresh zest steeped in the white wine. I am hoping that this gives more orange flavor punch and brings the orange forward when tasting. I also switched from the super fast Flavor of Italy culture to the slower more flavorful SM-194 which does not use pediococcus acidilactici bacteria.

I have had this salami on deck for a while and well, time to make it. Orange zest runs a pH of 3.5-4 so not as acidic as lemon zest which is 2.5-3. I used 7.4g./Kg. lemon zest in my recent run of pistachio and lemon and it worked out well. Decided on 10g. fresh orange zest in this batch of Campania Salami.

It seems I have accounted for everything with this go around as the pH hit 5.17 @19 hours fermentation and just checked it @ 33 hours and it has risen to 5.23 (acid leeching from the zest is equalizing through the salami)....excellent! The aroma is outstanding...flavor bacteria are going to work!

I stuffed these in 60-65mm beef middles and shortened the length to 16" long. Made 5kg.; which gave me 4 salami. They are in the accelerated drying cabinet...will transfer to maturing chamber when weight loss has reached at least 15%

 

[indaswamp]

Campania Salami

1000grams:
Lean Pork; shoulder, loin, leg 700g.
Pork back fat, throat 300g.

Sea salt (2.5%) 25g.
Cure #2 (0.3%) 3g.
Fresh cracked black pepper (0.2%) 2g.
Calabrian Hot pepper ground (0.3%) 3g.
Whole toasted fennel seed (0.25%) 2.5g
Fennel pollen (or ground toasted fennel seed 0.25%) 2.5g.
Mace ground (0.01%) 0.1g.
Fresh Orange zest fine mince (1.0%) 10g.
Fresh garlic sliced steeped in wine for 24 hours (0.3%) 3g.
White wine 10ml.

0.125g. SM-194 starter culture in 30mL distilled water

Fat thru 8mm plate, Lean thru 12mm plate stuffed into 60-65mm beef middles.

Steep garlic in white wine 24 hours, strain into another container and add orange zest. Let steep about 4 hours. while you are prepping the meat for grinding.

I made 5 kg. of this salami...4 sticks.

hattip out to redzed over at Marianski's forum for posting his recipe for this salami. I used it as a template and made my modifications to it....

 

[indaswamp]

So, the wine is acidic and should drop the pH by 0.1-0.12 points. The acid in the orange peel should drop the pH down 0.2 points. When I checked the pH @ 9 hours fermentation, it was at 5.47. Cool. So that is the starting pH. Not a lot of lactic acid needs to be created to push the pH down a little more. The wine has a little bit of sugar. The pork meat has a little bit of residual glucose. The Calabrian pepper is rather high in simple sugars and from my calculations should contribute 0.75g./Kg. simple sugars. That is enough to push it down from 5.47 to 5.17 which verifies on my pH meter...Cool! I think I am really dialing this in now!!!

What I can tell you is that so many recipes use WAY too much sugars-especially if you use the newer more robust cultures that are super efficient at converting sugars to lactic acid. Spescifically those containing pediococcus acidilactici bacteria.

 

[SmokinAl]

You are becoming the dry cure scientist!
Al

 

[Dave in AZ]

They are in the accelerated drying cabinet...will transfer to maturing chamber when weight loss has reached at least 15%

What is an accelerated drying chamber? I have a fridge w inkbird controllers, humidifier and dehumidifier, running 50-55f and 80% humidity. Haven't heard of accelerated chamber, can you explain what your setup is? Thx!

 

[indaswamp]

What is an accelerated drying chamber? I have a fridge w inkbird controllers, humidifier and dehumidifier, running 50-55f and 80% humidity. Haven't heard of accelerated chamber, can you explain what your setup is? Thx!

Here is a post where I explain it...

https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/time-for-some-pepperoni.317389/page-2#post-2367027

 

[indaswamp]

You are becoming the dry cure scientist!
Al

Thanks Al...I am more than a hobbyist at this point. I feel fortunate that I can grasp the technical stuff of meat science without getting bored. I have a strong science background....not too many people actually liked Organic Chemistry in College but I did! LOL!!!

 

[indaswamp]

Just checked the pH one last time...@56hours the pH is 5.25-5.27 across 5 different spots on the sample chub....perfect! The aroma from this is insane! Really looking forward to how this one turns out!!! And yes, I did have the temp. probe plugged in the entire time!!! LOL!!!accurate readings.

 

[LoydB]

I've been pondering my next salami, I'm gonna give this a shot, looks delicious.

 

[motocrash]

The aroma from this is insane! Really looking forward to how this one turns out!!!

I bet it is. This will be a flavor bomb when it's done.

 

[indaswamp]

I've been pondering my next salami, I'm gonna give this a shot, looks delicious.

Remember....no added dextrose or sugars. Just don't do like I did and forget the ground fennel in the spice grinder! I just found it and immediately know where it came from! Dang!!! Oh, well....the salami will still be good, just light on the fennel.

I bet it is. This will be a flavor bomb when it's done.

Thanks moto!

 

[LoydB]

I've got some fennel pollen showing up this weekend. I'm also seriously considering cold-smoking some almonds and adding them in. I loved the pistachios in the lemon salami, and I've become hooked on smoked almonds. Maybe I'll do 2 sticks, one with, one without. Will report back.

 

[indaswamp]

That sounds interesting...let me know how that turns out.

 

[LoydB]

Steep garlic in white wine 24 hours, strain into another container and add orange zest. Let steep about 4 hours. while you are prepping the meat for grinding.

Did you throw out the garlic after the steep or grind it with the meat?

 

[indaswamp]

Did you throw out the garlic after the steep or grind it with the meat?

Threw it out.

 

[LoydB]

I went big. I wanted something where a single slice could cover a piece of bread... Seven pounds. SPH 5.7, FPH 5.05, 16 hours @ 90 degrees F.